The brain controls a person’s ability to think, feel, talk, see, hear, remember, and so much more. An injury to either the brain or spinal cord can take away those functions in an instant.
Research shows that:
For more detailed information on the leading ways, people get TBIs and the groups of people most likely to get a TBI, check out CDC’s TBI data reports.
Older adults are more likely to be hospitalized and die from a TBI compared to all other age groups.11 Still, TBIs may be missed or misdiagnosed in older adults because symptoms of TBI overlap with other medical conditions that are common among older adults, such as dementia.
Healthcare providers should check for signs and symptoms of TBI if an older adult has:
